Tuesday, 23 February 2010

Here we go, here we go....

Almost off topic but I'm long overdue a rant (the dust on this one has now settled)

**** CAUTION *****

This post contains irony* and may not be suitable for persons of a sensitive disposition. Please do not read on...

Irony* Dictionary definition incongruity between what is expected to be and what actually is, or a situation or result showing such incongruity

Shropshire birds 'Yahoo group' should be a valuable resource available to Shropshire birdfolk. I link to it, I post when there's something worth reporting, many other like minded birders do so too. I live in hope that it will be the reliable resource it should be?

And then, this happens....

.....just had a telephone call from the man who wears the "Lennie the Lion" mascot outfit at Shrewsbury football matches. He says he was walking along the river at Shrewsbury this afternoon near the old football ground when he saw two ducks in the river he had never seen before. He had a good look at them and has sonce looked them up on the internet and he says they are a male and female Smew.......

I've got nothing against 'Lennie' - I'm sure he's a lovely man and he was only doing what any normal person does when trying to enhance their knowledge of nature - ask an 'expert'?. It really shouldn't have gone further than that though? A quiet, "Lennie, it was almost certainly a pair of Goosander, just have another look at your book or the internet?" in his ear......

Could Shropshire be responsible / guilty of conspiring to pervert the course of information? Some clues are evident....

The posted report is in editorial English and immediately makes a point of alerting us to the fact it was from a man who routinely wears a Lion outfit - is this meant to add value or credence to the sighting? (Hmm, well maybe..... if we were talking Antelope vs Impala at 400m range) Lions have very good eyes for that sort of thing but we're talking birds here....

......Two ducks in the river he had never seen before

WHAT, never seen the River Severn before!! Evidence of an ailing memory I fear! It's not too many years ago that the footie was played at the Gay Meadow right by the same river and no doubt one or two Goosanders got clobbered by footballs, or empty beer cans thrown off the English bridge by chanting mobs - no wonder they left to find a quieter stretch of river?? They have now returned as the place is much quiet and tranquil (apart from 'courting' couples in the dead of night - more of that later)....

......looked them up on the internet and he says they are a male and female Smew

The Internet, or a field guide for that matter allows you to have instant recall of the most notable and detailed identification features of just about any rare bird - (for example) Little Crake to Stellers Eider, so.... they are..... no 'maybe, might or doubt about it'......

But....Wait a minute! How do you look up something you have never seen before??

I tried to simulate this - keyed 'White duck' in Google Images and got a 'Splendid Duck' or various Farmyard type creations - hmm, hardly exciting, not one of them then.....

I then tried Googling - 'Duck I have never seen' and got 'Wood Duck' at the top of a very illustious list including some really good RB Mergansers pics, and then finally .....Surf Scoters!! - crikey - is this where the Pensarn birds went to?!! Hang about though, Surf Scoters aren't normally misidentified as Smew are they? One of the Shrewsbury birds must have been white - maybe, just maybe - a Surf Scoter spontaneously becoming leucistic??

Come on you Smoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo's

Here we go, here we go, here we go......

To the Severn by the English bridge that is - Black Redstart had also been correctly recorded from the area up by the old RSI a couple of Winters back too!....

I had to take a chance - there was a chance all of this could be true - STFC for the Premiership? John Terry reinstated as England Captain! Ashley Cole having a quiet night in with Cheryl.....

I actually went then and can you guess what I saw? Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssssssss you can!

Even during my 30 minute walk, I was asked if I'd photographed the 'Mergansers'* or whether it was normal to see 'Shag'** around here (Hmm, maybe after the clubs turn out in the early hours, cue disappearing Goosanders as the moans reach excessive decibels......)

* = Goosander depending upon your viewpoint?

** = Cormorants

Oh and the odd pair of BN Grebe were almost certainly this freakish Siamese twin Little Grebe combo!

Footnote - no offence is intended by this post and no birds came to harm either. Assuming you got this far, this was a light hearted dissection of how / when not to report birds you thought you saw / was told had been seen , a mega-suspect or 'possible' but unlikely sighting from self / a 'member of the public', dress code optional. Did I not / did you understand any of that?!!

Shropshire Birder Website

Follow me

This Blog

I will try and keep up to date with pictures taken of birds in Shropshire and my trips out and about elsewhere..... I'll generally let the pics do the talking so brief notes will be the norm. This blog is all about birding so don't expect all images to be 'publication' quality! Record shots, habitats, anything that tells the story of an experience will all be posted here

Don't forget - nearly all the pictures will be 'thumbnails' - click on them to see a larger image.

This is not a specific site for what's about in Shropshire but you can guarantee if there is a decent bird about - I'll be there! See the other local links below as well.

This birding blog....

This site is devoted to my photographic activities whilst out birding - I never ever bird without a camera! My local patch (Venus Pool near Shrewsbury) is the focus but I'm not averse to going out and about... I'm a Canon user (7D/50D/40D) and habitually use a 500 f4 usually with 1.4 converter or 100-400 f5.6 when close or on the move. I have a 300mm f2.8 which is an awesome lens given a closer subject matter. Pictures are for sale or publication, all are copyright - please contact me for further details if you wish to use them. They form the background for a range of illustrated talks (see below) .....

Talks

If you like what you see here, why not book me to give an illustrated talk? All talks are digital presentations and suitable for a variety of organisations: bird/wildlife groups or camera/photographic clubs. The current list of available talks covering the theme of birds is reproduced here....

Life on Venus

A look at the varied forms of wildlife which may be found at Venus pool during the year. The key birds and insects (dragonflies and butterflies) cover most of the talk but ‘occasional’ visitors and some wild flowers get a mention.A Century at Venus Pool

Now revamped, this is not a History talk but a collection of my favourite images from the reserve. My VP list is up to 150 species and the ‘Century’ refers to the 100+ species now photographed as decent portraits in their own right! Also featured are some of the most unforgettable moments I’ve witnessed!Shropshire's Magnificent Peregrines

The Peregrine falcon is surely one of the most charismatic of birds. A supreme flier and aerial predator, the species is now well established in numbers within the County. This talk looks at the habitats and progress through a typical breeding season, offering an insight into the secret life of this magnificent bird. (Please note that images featured during the breeding season were all taken under schedule 1 licence)A Shropshire Birders year

I keep a County yearlist every year and aim to see at least 160 species (with as many as possible photographed!) This talk is based around the highlights of the past few years plus some of my regular photographic activities. It takes you around many of the main birdwatching areas, the best times to go and what you might find there. Shropshire is certainly not one of the best Counties for migrants and rarities but expect a few surprises.Out and About – a special year

2008 was a phenomenal year featuring opportunistic travels to all parts of the UK, record breaking numbers of local birds, rarities and a twitch or two. The excitement is condensed into a single presentation, the ups and downs, some exhilarating bird watching moments and an attempt to see 250 species in a year without really trying (much).

Shropshire Wildlife

A brief look at the wildlife to be found at several key reserves and sites within the County of Shropshire. Birds, butterflies and dragonflies are the key players with a scattering of other interesting guests and a flower or two!

North Norfolk here I come

A premier location featuring some of the UK’s most fantastic birding sites. A seasonal look at the main reserves, the birds you are likely to see and some of the highlights of my visits to the area. Expect plenty of quality birds!!

Birding through a lens

Apart from my trusty pair of binoculars and scope, I always carry my camera with me on my birding travels throughout the UK. This talk takes a look at what’s involved in bird photography, numerous localities and of course – plenty of interesting birds!

Nature in focus

A similar talk to 'Birding through a lens' but dealing with a wide variety of wildlife found in the UK. The technical side of things, equipment and technique, where to go etc will be dealt with here. Ideal where the need is a bias towards 'photography'.A Winter weekend in Vancouver

Well, a bit longer than that actually! This talk covers the events of a trip to the Vancouver area and Vancouver island in Feb/Mar 2008. Whilst this is the wrong time of year for seeing migrants, a good chance to see resident birds and plenty of wildfowl. I was on a lecture tour and these are the moments spent birding in this fantastic west coast area of Canada!

Springtime in New England

For most of May 2012, I was on a speaking tour of New England. This talk looks at the whole trip, from getting the camera gear safely through customs, a few mishaps and of course the amazing birds and other highlights as I travelled through three states! Over 130 species were seen, including Warblers, Waders, Herons etc with many images captured. Gardens, Nature Reserves and the Coast were the main habitats and quite a few of the native plants were captured too! A truly memorable trip at the right 'birding' time of year...

Close to the edge with wild Peregrines

A follow up talk on this most charismatic bird of prey and is recommended after first enjoying 'Shropshire's Magnificent Peregrines'. Using images (taken under schedule 1 licence) the focus is on the 2010 breeding season capturing the development of chicks from day 1 to fledging. Whilst one particular family of birds is followed through the breeding season, there are some intimate moments in the development of other Peregrines. It features a look at ringing activities and how this will hopefully tell us more about their movements following fledging.

Another year birding in Shropshire

Following up on the popularity of 'A Shropshire Birder's Year' this is another look at birds and birding within the County of Shropshire. The same seasonal approach but with a different range of birds commonly found including yet more rarities and excitement! Geese and Winter wildfowl start the year off before Spring arrivals and another breeding season. More local rarities including Dotterel and Wryneck plus an engaging pair of Blue-headed Wagtails. Terns featured strongly in 2010 and seven species will be on show including the infamous Venus Pool Whiskered Tern. A spectacular finale will feature the December Waxwing invasion! Birding in Shropshire can be hard work but it can certainly produce some really good birds!

Identity Crisis

Many birds fall into the 'is it or isn't it' category and this talk looks at a good number of birds which can be easily misidentified or 'mixed up' with similar species. Using images to note the key identification criteria, in theory at least, it should be possible to correctly identify those problem birds, with some - even from a distance. Black or Bar-tailed Godwits, Spotted or Common Redshank, Whimbrel or Curlew, Willow Warbler or Chiffchaff, Arctic or Common Tern, Common/Spotted/Green/Wood Sandpipers, Common or Jack Snipe etc. A few Gulls featured may help to dispel their mystery? There will be a few more problem birds and many more identity problems to solve....

Out and about - A Brilliant Birding Year!

The second in my 'out and about' series concentrating on my birding trips and adventures during 2009, covering 1,000's of miles in the UK. The year started off with some amazing Waxwings and great Gulls before repeated trips to Devon provided an expensive Penduline Tit (find out why) amongst a whole host of local specialties like Cirl Bunting. A late May trip to Scottish Highlands turned up most of the key local birds. After a few 'Summer specials'. Autumn kicked off with a local Purple Heron plus a Cornish Baird's Sandpiper. There will be lots more fantastic birds (not just rarities!) and great locations featured in between all of these - selected from the highlights of the year.....Butterflies, Dragons and Damsels of Shropshire

Visitors to my blog or Shropshire Odonata pages cannot fail to be aware that for two or three months of the Summer, I spend a lot of time chasing insects! Concentrating on Butterflies, Dragonflies and Damselflies, this talk is a colourful presentation of the best moments watching these amazing insects within Shropshire. The emphasis is on their lifestyle, flight periods and the habitats they are found in (including gardens) plus tips on identification. The importance of fieldcraft and the best approach to watching them, with tips on photography is covered. The talk is geared for a ‘general’ audience with an interest in nature and will feature in excess of 60 species (not bad for Shropshire!) The talk ends as usual with a new audio visual finale.

Jim's BIG year

The story of 2014 which saw me travel the length and breadth of the UK to seek out rarities and breeding birds. There's too many species to list here but be assured the best of the images obtained during the year will be featured - from common residents to mazing rarities. It was a roller coaster of a year and many of the highs and lows are featured. My target was 300 species (BOU) - find out if I made it and enjoy the 1,000's of miles from the comfort of your chair!

Golden Birding Moments

A compilation of some of my best birding moments and locations and will suit any audience. Starting with a 'golden' theme, great winter birds moving on to locations including Vancouver, New England, Scotland and the Farne islands all with new images. Genera featured include Falcons. Grebes, Herons, Crossbills, Gulls and Waxwings. A section on photography and the most unpredictable and exciting form of birding - pelagic trips. Finally, Short-eared Owls and Hen Harriers and a haunting musical finale bring the talk to a close.

*** New for 2016 ***

Scilly Pelagic Magic

I'm now officially a 'veteran' of pelagic trips from St Mary's on the Isle of Scilly! With 23 trips under my belt (13 of them during the August seabird passage season) I have plenty of images and stories to tell from my time on MV Sapphire! A heavy sea in a small boat is not to everyone's liking so sit back, relax and enjoy! From the ever present Gulls, Fulmars and Gannets, the interest notches up a gear with Skuas, Petrels and Shearwaters. It's not just about the birds either with Dolphins and Sunfish on offer plus some of the Blue Sharks landed for tagging studies. Find out how the birds are attracted, the magic of 'chum' (without the smell) and some of my most exhilarating birding moments ever, including an epic encounter with a Fea's Petrel.